Description

It’s not easy being a modern information professional is it?

Information delivery media is swiftly evolving and you’re facing a tough challenge in balancing reduced budgets with improved services, managing differing client resource expectations and, above all, the pressure to demonstrate the value of your function to key stakeholders.

Need a hand?

Ark Group’s report on Adding Value in Corporate Libraries and Information Services has been specially commissioned to help you tackle these challenges head-on to ensure the continued delivery of the services that are required in a shifting information landscape.

Packed with best-practice tools, guidance and insights from your peers and industry experts this invaluable handbook provides effective solutions that can be implemented immediately to add value and improve services within your organisation. These include how to:

• Improve key functions for maximum performance - search and research, metadata and taxonomy, copyright and digital rights management;
• Effectively demonstrate and communicate value throughout your organisation using key metrics and success factors;
• Deliver visible value and cost savings through effective information centre training;
• Develop the necessary skills, knowledge and ability to operate at senior level within your organisation;
• Align library and information services with overall organisational strategy;
• Move from competition to collaboration with other departments in the organisation;
• Create a holistic information service using best-practice knowledge management tools and techniques;
• Preserve, retrieve and retain digital content efficiently in the 21st Century library;
• Effectively select, manage and maximise the opportunities provided by outsourcing and contract services;
• Apply social media for maximum benefit;
• And much more…

Insightful, real-life case studies that demonstrate how organisations around the world are successfully overcoming current library and information service challenges are also featured throughout the report. These include:

• Cost recovery to cost prevention in a law firm library;
• Communicating information value to senior executives;
• Managing copyright and digital rights at the University of Reading;
• RSS feeds in the ESR Christchurch Library;
• Successfully outsourcing international library, information and research services for a Fortune Global 500 company; and
• Creating a new library and information service at NHS North West.

Contents

Chapter 1: The basics of adding value – Skills, knowledge and ability

Chapter 2: Talk the talk, walk the walk and strut the strut – Demonstrating value throughout and beyond the organisation

Chapter 3: Functions – Do the job well

Chapter 4: Training delivers visible value

Chapter 5: Knowledge and information management – Expanding library services in the knowledge economy

Chapter 6: Transform competition to strategic triumphs through collaboration

Chapter 7: The 21st century library – Digital collections and electronic books meet information centres

Chapter 8: Applying social media for maximum benefit

Chapter 9: Outsourcing – A path to opportunity

Case study 1: Cost recovery to cost prevention – Five first steps to success

Case study 2: When ‘Believe us, it is so worth the money!’ won't cut it – Communicating information value to senior executives

Case study 3: Managing copyright and digital rights at the University of Reading

Case study 4: RSS feeds in the ESR Christchurch Library

Case study 5: Successfully outsourcing international library, information and research services for a Fortune Global 500 company

Case study 6: Creating a new library information service at NHS North West

Authors